Petrol in a Diesel Rover 400, and You've Driven It
The motor wants switching off and keeping off once you can pull over safely, if you've driven with petrol in a diesel Rover 400. Where you have stopped, we can still sort it out, and harm that lasts is very rare once it is caught soon.
Petrol in Diesel travels out to wherever your Rover 400 has ended up, empties the fuel tank then clears the petrol from the fuel system. We go when it's running again on clean diesel.
Symptoms of petrol in a diesel 400
To begin with, petrol in your fuel tank often changes very little to how a diesel 400 drives, and the signs show up a couple of miles later. People normally spot the following if there's petrol or AdBlue in the fuel tank:
- less power, especially when the motor is asked to accelerate
- the idle becomes uneven, or it runs roughly
- the tailpipe gives off more smoke than normal
- dashboard warning lights appear
- it cuts out, and then may refuse to restart
One of these starting after you filled up is reason enough to look at the receipt to see what was put in.
What travelling does with wrong fuel in your Rover 400
Wrong fuel in your Rover 400 sits in the tank until the engine draws it out, and driving is what pulls it through the fuel filter, the high-pressure pump then your injectors. The mixture gets into more of the system the longer the 400 is driven, because petrol weakens the diesel that protects your fuel pump and your injectors as it passes through them.
So completing the trip is a poorer choice than stopping the moment you can. Damage, where it occurs, comes from a long drive on tainted fuel, and draining and cleaning are normally all a motor needs when it is stopped early.
Any other version of the 400 is no different from the 418 D here, so which version is yours makes no difference.
Just where you pulled over
The 400 does not need getting anywhere. No recovery truck has to be arranged and there's no reason to start it, as we come to it at the roadside or outside your home.
If you are alongside a main road, put the hazard lights on and wait somewhere out of harm's way, away from the traffic.
Ring 0333 366 0103 then say where you are, what 400 it is and about how far it has been driven. Knowing the version from the badge, such as the 420 Di, is useful too.
A fuel drain on your Rover 400 after a drive
Once it has been driven, a fuel drain on your Rover 400 takes one step more than a drain at the forecourt. No petrol should be remaining between the tank and the engine by the end, which is why the tank is emptied first and your fuel lines are then opened up and flushed through with the filter. The system is primed once fresh diesel is in, and the engine is started to confirm it runs correctly.
AdBlue in a diesel Rover 400 that has been driven
If you have AdBlue in a diesel Rover 400 and have driven on it, the symptoms are usually uneven running, smoke and warning lights, and the car may cut out. The fuel pump picks up fuel from the bottom of your tank, which is where AdBlue sinks, so it reaches your fuel line quickly. It also doesn't burn or lubricate. As its water dries out, the urea forms crystals in your fuel lines and the fuel filter.
How AdBlue removal from a diesel Rover 400 is done
The lines and your fuel filter have to be cleared of the crystals once your fuel tank is emptied, which is what AdBlue removal from a diesel Rover 400 that has been run involves. If the fuel filter needs it, we replace it.
Only your diesel tank is worked on here. If your 400 has an AdBlue tank of its own, it is left as it is, and nothing here means taking out or switching off the AdBlue system.
Rover 400 fuel tank capacity and engine sizes
55 litres is the size of the diesel fuel tank on every version of the Rover 400 in our figures.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Rover 418 D | 55 litres |
| Rover 418 SLD Turbo, GSD Turbo | 55 litres |
| Rover 420 D | 55 litres |
| Rover 420 Di | 55 litres |
Fuel drain on the Rover 400 after a drive: what it costs
Whether it was petrol or AdBlue affects what a fuel drain on the Rover 400 costs after driving on it, though it depends mainly on how far it went and where it has stopped. Give us those details in a call and we can tell you what is involved in the work.
Common questions after driving with petrol in a diesel Rover 400
Has the petrol ruined my 400?
It's very unlikely to be. If your car is stopped soon, emptying and flushing the fuel system is what we do wherever you have stopped, and damage that lasts is uncommon after that.
Can I drive the car home first?
Our guidance is not to. Moving it isn't necessary, since we can empty the 400 where it sits. Driving it on only carries tainted fuel further through the system.
Stalled, and it won't restart: what should I do next?
Please leave it rather than having another go, as every try draws more of the blend through. We prime the system and get it started for you after it has been drained and rinsed and fresh diesel is in.
Do you need to know which 400 I have?
There are 4 diesel versions of the 400, and the badge on the tailgate says which one you have. Knowing that helps us when you call.
Does my insurance cover wrong fuel in my Rover 400?
Once your car is sorted, it is worth looking at your policy, as some offer misfuelling cover. We come out whether it covers you or not.